


like patchwork

by roguepath



Category: Octopath Traveler (Video Game)
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ficlet Collection, Gen, Humor, mod au where cyrus takes therion in as his adoptive brother
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-20
Updated: 2018-08-22
Packaged: 2019-06-30 00:22:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15740304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roguepath/pseuds/roguepath
Summary: stories from a life where therion and cyrus are not thief and scholar, but instead brothers.03. defender.“you worry for the professor quite a lot, don’t you?”“of course i do,” therion huffs. “he’s my brother.”





	1. long overdue

**Author's Note:**

> long story short, cyrus' CH3 conversation between he and therion effed me up, and now we're here. 
> 
> and before anything else, thank you to [bri](https://twitter.com/tsubakimac) for being a large part of the reason why i wrote this, and making me howl with laughter over these two idiots (praying emoji)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> because cyrus gets too deep in his own work sometimes and therion continues to be a little shit.

“Enough, Cyrus.”

Cyrus looked up from his desk. Corner to corner, it’s covered in textbooks and papers, finding the eye of the storm in a modicum of space for his coffee cup. He didn’t even bother for a coaster.

“I’ll finish in just a bit, Therion,” he murmurs over the _clack clack clack_ _clack_ of keys and clicks.

“Uh-huh,” Therion says, from a student’s long empty desk, giving him a weary look. “You said the same thing — three “bits” ago. Come on, did you even remember to eat?”

“I could have… Sworn I did?”

Therion gets up, ignoring again the —

_ clack clack clack _

— as he walks.

“Cyrus.”

_ clack clack clack _

“No lightheadedness nor headaches that I remember.”

_ CLACK CLACK CLACK _

_ “Cyrus.” _ And he punctuates the word with a light  _ slam _ on his desk, stopping at last, thank the gods; both because the noise was the sandpaper to his skin as it is to his ears, and because his brother, his overworking, close-to-burned-out, hyper-focused brother finally looked up.

His student ID (“Therion Albright”, printed in glossy black), hanging from a lanyard over his trademark purple sweater, swings with the momentum.

“Time for a break,” Therion says, jerking his head in the vague direction of the campus store.

Cyrus raises a brow at him. “You’re going through quite the trouble for some ice cream, Therion. You could have gone to the campus store at any time to get a scoop or two.” 

Therion gives a small chuckle, before grinning. “Uh, you offered to pay. I’ll wait as long as I have to.”

He sighs. “...Right you are. Ten more minutes, then, at the most.”

* * *

“Wait,” Cyrus says, as he later pulls out a little over seven dollars, rather than the normal three. “Last I checked, you were going to get one scoop.”

“Interest kicked in.”

“That’s—” Cyrus squawks. “ _ Not _ how it works, Therion!”

 


	2. sounds like a deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> odette reminds therion of two things: that she's the main reason why he and cyrus haven't burned down the house yet, and that the burden of family is no burden at all.

“This should work well enough for a few days,” Odette says. “At least, enough to keep you two disasters from burning down the house in the time that I’m gone.”

Therion looks at his freezer. Typically filled with ice cream and microwave meals, now with stacks of three days’ worth of Odette’s pasta.

“Uh… Yeah, should be. You  _ really _ didn’t have to, though,” Therion says, apologetic despite his normal demeanor.

Odette’s laugh is a loud one, banging against the kitchen table with a hand. “Please,” she says through another. “This is more for my sake than yours. Besides, I promise you Therion, it’s no trouble at all.”

“What?” he asks, crossing his arms. “Come on, you make it sound like we can’t take care of ourselves without you.”

Odette gives him a look. “Need I remind you what happened when  _ you _ tried to bake for yourselves?”

The memory of their kitchen nearly catching on fire flicks through Therion’s mind.

“I mean, yeah. But, c’mon — heating it up the thing at 3000° for three minutes, over 300° for thirty seemed genius at the time, right? Right?”

“Therion.”

“Okay okay, fine. You got a point. I owe you one, Odette,” he says, before quietly adding: “thanks.”

“Again, it’s more for my sake than yours. But I  _ will _ keep it in mind… Maybe a free ticket to your next show?”

“...Sure. Sounds like a deal.”


	3. defender

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> therion attends a faculty event in cyrus' stead. it goes about as well as you expect.

Therion’s shifts uncomfortably in his seat, in his too tight tie, too clean shoes, and as _fantastically_ prep-goth as he looks in his black dress pants, dark-gray dress shirt, and black suspenders, all he can think of right now is of the _people_ here.

Cordelia is a godsdamned blessing, thank the gods. When he said that he was attending in Cyrus’ place because he worked himself sick — the idiot — she was more than happy to stick by his side. It’s not an official event they’re attending, but an important one — the dean’s twentieth year at the university.

Cyrus all but begged him to go as if he were on his deathbed, he’d explained to Cordelia. Said that he wouldn’t hear the end of it from the greasy bastard if he didn’t show up, and when it’s _Cyrus_ grovelling for him to go in his place he can’t _not_ do so.

So Therion gets and gives Yvon his freakin’ congratulations gift, and all that’s left to do is wait it out with Cordelia, who like him, is attending because of familial ties; except, instead of a brother, it’s her late parents, so he’s glad he can keep her company (even if it’ll take _him_ to be on his deathbed to admit it).

At _least,_ that was the plan. Until rat bitch here opens his mouth.

“I swear, the fool thinks he can send a replacement!” he says, never mind the fact that his brother’s _right here._ “He acts as though that doesn’t change the fact that he’s making up excuses to sit on his ass at home. As if him being at this university alone isn’t something he should be begging at my feet to keep.”

Wow, okay.

In that moment, Therion forgets his own conversation at hand, and before he knows it he’s up on his feet, and the anger he feels is a cold, chilling one.

Never mind that he’s talking to the dean of his university.

“Cyrus is only sick because you overworked him so damn much,” he snaps. While his voice is low, it’s enough to reach Yvon’s ears — and in turn, earn the attention of other partygoers.

Yvon gives him an incredulous look, scoffing in the same motion. “Please. I don’t need to listen to a second rate who’s not even an Albright by blood. Anyone in this university knows worth their salt knows that your ‘brother’ is nothing but a waste of money and time.” A smile.

The fire in his chest burns, spurring him to speak without even a hint of hesitation. “And I don’t need to take this from someone who can’t who his own work, since you just love to push it onto hi—”

“Therion, we should leave —”  
  
“What? Cordelia, _look,_ just —”

“Listen to your friend, Albright,” Yvon says, his smile growing wider. “Perhaps you’ve had a bit too much to drink. Take her advice, and go quietly.” A pause. “And leave the drink, of course.”

“You know what?” Therion asks, in lieu of reply. “I think I will.”

And in a single, fluid motion, he reaches behind him to throw his wine at the other, then leaves, the tinkling of the flute falling on the floor ringing true behind him.

It isn’t until he hears the clicking of heels that he thinks to notice that Cordelia followed him out.

“Let me guess,” he starts, sighing. “You’re here to tell me that I should grovel at Mister Potatohead’s feet for “starting it”, and for throwing the wine in his face, aren’t you.”

Cordelia fixes him with a funny look. “On the contrary. I’m quite glad you gave him what he deserves, actually.”

Huh.

“Are you alright, Therion?”

“Seems like it,” he grumbles. “You?”

“Delighted. After all, that’s the most that’s happened at an event such as this in a long time,” she replies, giving a tiny laugh. “He can’t… Take action against you, can he?”

A snort. “He can try. It’s not like it wasn’t on campus, so… Not much can be done. Really, I’ll have to worry about is —” A grimace. “— telling Cyrus.”

“Right,” Cordelia murmurs, but lights up only a moment sooner. “Do you think some cake would soften the news? I could always call up Heathcote to drive us to that bakery you two like so much…”

She singsongs the last sentence, waving her phone, to which Therion can only give a small smile and laugh. “If you want,” he says, as he takes out his own. “...It’s been a while since I’ve seen the old man anyway.”

“Good," Cordelia says with a nod. "And, another thing…”

“Which is?”

“I feel almost silly asking this at this point, but you worry for the professor quite a lot, don’t you?”

It’s Therion’s turn to give her a funny look, pausing his typing when he does. “Of course I do,” he huffs. “He’s my brother.”

* * *

 Cyrus the next day wakes up with only coughs and sniffles. He gives Therion a half-asleep, half-sick scolding, but at the end, gives a tired smile and mouths ‘thank you.’

* * *

“eat the rich” — therion albright, 20XX  
  
so  
i threw a flute of wine at the dean tonight  
i'm a healer, but  
HOLY SHIT  
a true lady leaves no rich uneaten  
R YOU SERIOUS  
WELL DID YOU GET A VIDEO?  
who do you think i am  
of course cordelia got a video

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **guide to everyone’s chat names:**
> 
>   * **i’m a healer, but:** alfyn  
> 
>   * **a true lady leaves no rich uneaten:** tressa  
> 
> 

> 
> **fun facts:**
> 
>   * the chatroom name and alfyn's name are based on a real chat i have with me and my friends djhgk  
> 
>   * the line “you worry for the professor quite a lot, don’t you?” / “he’s my brother.” is a reference to a sov fic series my friends and i are working on, [wings of rebellion,](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1057355) which you should also check out because everyone’s stuff is honest to god amazing  
> 
> 

> 
> the messaging skin is from [here!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6434845/chapters/14729722)

**Author's Note:**

> find me on my [twitter!](https://twitter.com/thiefexp)
> 
> if you liked this chapter, be sure to leave kudos or a comment!


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